As everyone knew, the "Depth-Probing Operation" overseen by Great Monarch Ma Ge had never been one to avoid the easy and tackle the hard. It began with Wyatt's "Awakened One."
Wyatt understood this perfectly well. But perhaps he had been holding it in too long these past few days, because he actually had the gall to argue:
"It's only an 'identifier' and 'registration.' The Campfire's function is more important."
Tai Yu chuckled. "Yes, only the Campfire function matters. All the other functions can be cut away, and that'll save consumption too."
Since they had already entered the tedious stage of verbal sparring, Tai Yu did not hold back. Afraid Wyatt might not understand, he added:
"What we need now is a Monarch-level Campfire, not a Monarch-level Wyatt."
The other side fell silent.
With the matter resolved so easily, Tai Yu instead felt that something was off.
Wyatt's emotions had been unusually obvious today. A Great Monarch who had remained in the world for thousands of years ought to have been seasoned and inscrutable. Even if he had been exiled here to serve a sentence, he should have been able to endure humiliation without complaint. Why would he be like this?
As the thought crossed Tai Yu's mind, he abruptly asked, "Who discussed this matter with you?"
Wyatt laughed lowly again, as though lamenting to himself. "As a Campfire, I am happy to watch from here and see who gains the flesh, blood, and authority of this jungle, deep within the jungle."
He had not answered directly, but that was effectively an answer.
Tai Yu strongly suspected that Wyatt's emotional reaction resulted from prior communication with someone who held considerable influence over him.
There were two possibilities. One was an authority figure from the Ruin and Fall System. That would settle